Missing character in kids' literature: Muslims. Is this really a problem?

From the state of MINNESOTASTAN:


"We have tons of books about Islam. However, the fiction is harder to find. ... If there are any smart American authors, they'll start writing books like this.", States Leah Larson, media specialist at Richfield Middle School.


No, we do not need a flood of books singing the praises of islam or muslims written by American authors or any other authors as far as I am concerned. WE do not need any more muslim immigrants coming in to this country or any immigrants from ANY country. For at least ten years until we can get a handle on all the illegal aliens and immigrants we already have here. If muslims, children or adults are so craving to find books to identify with about islam, all things muslim, the depravities and violence contained with islam and most islamic cultures, let them move back to where they immigrated from. Please, take all your problems, sharia law, taqiyya, persecution, honor killings back with you. We do not need them here and so many muslims refuse to assimilate and become true, active and functioning members of American Society. From the StarTribune.

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Missing character in kids' literature: Muslims
By NORMAN DRAPER, Star Tribune

As the Muslim student population grows in Minnesota, some educators detect a glaring gap: a dearth of books the students can relate to and from which others can learn.


"There wasn't a whole lot in our library that provided a sense of 'this is what's normal,'" said Julie Scullen, a reading intervention specialist at Northdale Middle School in Coon Rapids, where she took stock of books about Muslims growing up in America.


When colleague Beth Braun, a Northdale media specialist, launched a full-blown national search, she didn't have much luck, either.


"The books are more about what it's like to live in another country and be a Muslim, or what it's like to be from a war-torn nation, not what it's like to be a teenager in America and be a Muslim," Braun said. "Those books are few and far between."


Librarians in some other school districts tell a similar tale.


"I have really not come across anything," said Linda Goering, library media specialist at Robbinsdale Middle School.


Many educators say it's critical for students to have books in which they can see themselves.


"It is extremely important for young people to read stories reflecting their ethnicity and/or religion in order to feel like worthwhile human beings," said Freda Shamma, director of curriculum development for the Foundation for the Advancement and Development of Education and Learning, based in Cincinnati.


"The absence of such stories leads to poor grades in school, feelings of loneliness and alienation, and low self-esteem," said Shamma, who is working on an anthology of Muslim literature directed at middle-school-age students.


Leah Larson, media specialist at Richfield Middle School, sees an appetite for such books. She pointed to a novel in her media center, "Does My Head Look Big in This?", about an 11th-grade Muslim girl growing up in Australia who decides to wear the hijab, the traditional Muslim head covering, full time.


"I just can't keep it on the shelf," Larson said of the book.


"We have tons of books about Islam. However, the fiction is harder to find. ... If there are any smart American authors, they'll start writing books like this."


Trying to fill the gap


At Northdale Middle School, in the Anoka-Hennepin district, Scullen said the idea of getting more books aimed at Muslim kids "has been brewing in my head for a couple of years."


In September, she read an article citing the need to help students learn about the different cultures represented by their classmates. Using an $800 grant from the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation, Braun and Scullen ordered 30 to 40 books for their library.


A few -- "The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook," for instance -- fit the bill. Most of the others, while valuable enough for Braun and Scullen to order, fell short of their ideal. There was, for example, "From Somalia With Love," about a girl who leaves the violent chaos of Somalia for London.


How big a deal is this to Muslim teenagers? For many who are voracious readers, almost anything will do.


"The Muslim kids are just like any other kids we have here," Larson said. "They read everything."


"Not many of the books have Muslim characters in them," said Sakina Walji, an eighth-grader at North View Junior High in Brooklyn Park. "But it works out pretty OK for me. I like to read any good books."


"I think it is important to have books for Muslim kids," said Sumaya Warsame, a seventh-grader at Northdale. "Then other kids can read about them."


Still, as far as Sumaya's own reading tastes are concerned, "it's not really a big deal." She said she likes the mystery and adventure books she reads now no matter what the characters' religious persuasion.


Some easier to find


Books oriented toward Muslim students are apparently more common at some grade levels than others. "They're easier to find for elementary kids," said Lori Saroya, president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Minnesota. "There are a number of books out there focusing on Ramadan [the Muslim holy month], but they're more targeted for younger kids. I've heard of some series of fiction books for junior high kids, but they are difficult to find."


Saroya, who grew up Muslim in southern Iowa and graduated from high school in 2000, said she found little to read that she could identify with.


"It was the blue-eyed, blond-haired girl who was into cheerleading," she said. "There really wasn't much I could relate to in terms of my Muslim identity."(Maybe she will realize what a blessing this was later in life?)

 "There are limited books that focus on Muslim students as part of the fabric of schools because perhaps there's been a limited demand and a limited market," said Jean Doolittle, who is in charge of circulating books and other resource materials for Minneapolis schools. "If people will buy them, publishers will produce them."


Even if such books were in circulation, school officials would have to make sure they are getting high-quality reading material that will appeal to the students.


"The kids need to see themselves, but they also need to want to read the books," Doolittle said.


(No, the kids need to see themselves as AMERICANS and start adopting to the society and our laws if they want to remain here and be considered as equals. Many muslim parents set a pretty bad example at home. Is it any wonder so many Americans dislike and do not trust muslims or care for islam. After all, it was NOT 19 Christians, Jews or Sikhs that flew the planes into the the Twin Towers and the Pentagon on 9/11/2001.)

Original article is here.

Political correctness gone wild in Michigan, and beyond

Here is yet another example how political correctness, diversity and multiculturalism are wrecking our country. We should be free to chose who WE want to live with. The state of Michigan may be going after a woman who advertised for a Christian roommate. Would this happen if she was a muslim woman or man doing this? Probably not out of fear of upsetting the local muslim population. This person should have the freedom to decide on who she gets to live with. How sad is this when an American is threatened with legal action for just expressing who she wants to share her residence with. From Fox News.

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Michigan Woman Faces Civil Rights Complaint for Seeking a Christian Roommate

Fox News: A civil rights complaint has been filed against a woman in Grand Rapids, Mich., who posted an advertisement at her church last July seeking a Christian roommate.


The ad "expresses an illegal preference for a Christian roommate, thus excluding people of other faiths,” according to the complaint filed by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan.


"It's a violation to make, print or publish a discriminatory statement," Executive Director Nancy Haynes told Fox News. "There are no exemptions to that."


Haynes said the unnamed 31-year-old woman’s case was turned over to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. Depending on the outcome of the case, she said, the woman could face several hundreds of dollars in fines and “fair housing training so it doesn’t happen again.”


Harold Core, director of public affairs with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, told the Grand Rapids Press that the Fair Housing Act prevents people from publishing an advertisement stating their preference of religion, race or handicap with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling.


"It's really difficult to say at this point what could potentially happen," he told the newspaper, noting that there are exemptions in the law for gender when there is a shared living space.


But Joel Oster, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing the woman free of charge, describes the case as "outrageous."


"Clearly this woman has a right to pick and choose who she wants to live with," he said.


"Christians shouldn't live in fear of being punished by the government for being Christians. It is completely absurd to try to penalize a single Christian woman for privately seeking a Christian roommate at church -- an obviously legal and constitutionally protected activity."


Haynes said the person who filed the initial complaint saw the ad on the church bulletin board and contacted the local fair housing organization.


The ad included the words, "Christian roommate wanted," along with the woman's contact information. Had the ad not included the word "Christian," Haynes said, it would not have been illegal.


"If you read it and you were not Christian, would you not feel welcome to rent there?" Haynes asked.


Oster said he hopes the case will eventually be dropped and that he's sent a letter to the state asking the authorities to dismiss the case as groundless.


"The First Amendment guarantees us Freedom of Religion," he said. "And we have the right to live with someone of the same faith. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights is denying her rights by pursuing this complaint."


But Haynes said officials plan on pursuing the matter.


"We want to make sure it doesn't happen again," she said.

Original article is here.

I refuse to just stand still and be just a spectator in regard to islam.

Sam Hindu pulls no punches nor is the reason for his site a mystery or shrouded in pretty words or dhimmi stooge posturing. I have said numerous times that to "be still or silent against islam is just like waiting for death."


This site came to life on the urging of a wonderful and patriotic man, Roger Gardner who started the blog, Radarsite. I have mentioned Roger before and how he was so supportive of my views and opinions. Roger encouraged me like no else did to start Patriot's Corner. Pretty amazing considering I only knew Roger through the exchange of many emails. Roger is no longer with us but his spirit and patriotism are alive and well in me and others who did know know Roger much better than I did.


Sam Hindu seems to have this spirit and determination when it comes to speaking out against islam and sharia law. Sam is not from the USA but that does mean or have an effect on how he feels about islam. That is why I have posted a few of his articles here and will continue to do so. Sam Hindu gets it, the dangers that we face, that are inherent, built into islam and sharia law. Need a bit more on where Sam Hindu is coming from? Then by all means please read on! Cleaned up just a tad for easier reading.

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FreedomBulwark is an Evil triumph when good people do nothing.

SOME TIMES BY ; SAM HINDU

Jihad is on the march. Their goal is to take away your freedom. If you do nothing today, your children will not have that choice tomorrow. But if we rise up now, we can get rid of Islam in two decades. Are you willing to be a crusader?


Now that the knowledge of Islam has spread, we can tear down this house of cards. We need to get rid of our pusillanimous, politically correct governments and elect men and women of substance. We need politicians who are not afraid to speak the truth, who are willing swim with the people, against the political current.


But talk is cheap. We have talked enough. It is time to put that talk into action. To do so we need to change our dhimmi governments. Make no mistake; those in the government that defend Islam passionately are not mere useful idiots, they are often paid traitors. We must expose them and get rid of them. We need to elect men and women that are patriotic, that will stand up to Islamic infiltration and defend our democracy, our freedom and our laws.


FreedomBulwark is for political action. It is for you to find like-minded people in your area to network with, others who share your concern, to start a revolution and to change your government. If we want to get rid of Islam we need to change these dhimmi clowns, a.k.a. politicians.


We need a new breed of politicians who care, who love their country and who are willing to stand up for it, defend it against islam and sharia law.


Use FreedomBulwark to recruit people to your cause, to inspire others and to get inspired, exchange your ideas and share your plans.


But how? How can we oppose a religion? Isn’t freedom of religion an essential part of democracy guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the First Amendment?


If we regard Islam as a religion, then our hand become tied, and we will not e able to oppose it. But as stated above, Islam is more than a religion. It is also a social order and a political doctrine. These two dimensions of Islam are in violation of our laws and we can ban them.


No one can protest if we ban Sharia law that prescribes stoning, beheading, wife-beating and maiming. No one can object if we outlaw the verses of the Quran that call for violence against non-Muslims and incite hate. We can ban Islam by banning its violence.


Since Islam is a trinity and its religious dimension cannot be separated from its sociopolitical elements, banning the latter two implies banning Islam as a whole. A knife is made of a blade and a handle. If the blade is banned the handle becomes useless.


But, talk is cheap. We have talked enough. It is time to put these talks into action. To do so we need to change our dhimmi governments. Make no mistake; those in the government that defend Islam passionately are not mere useful idiots, they are often paid traitors. We must expose them and get rid of them. We need to elect men and women that are patriotic; that will stand up to Islamic infiltration and defend our democracy, our freedom and our laws.

FreedomBulwark is an Evil that triumphs when good people do nothing.
And I refuse to stand still and be spectator...

Original article is here